Screw storage

[Stan Krupowies]

Just wondering what everyone here uses for screw storage. I have a pretty good selection of McFeely's screws, from #6 x 1/2" to #12 x 3" and a lot in between. Right now I just keep them in the boxes they come in but when they are stacked in a cabinet they are a pain to find. I don't want to do the baby food jar thing or the coffee can thing so I'd like to see what you all use.

[Matt Meiser]

I use Plano storage boxes found at Menards, Cabelas, Gander Mountain, etc. I have a LOT of them and have everything I can in them. Then I built shelves to hold them similar to the drawers at my hardware store. The boxes are pretty reasonable and its a very expandable solution.

Example:
http://www.amazon.com/Plano-23700-01-Stowaway-Adjustable-Dividers/dp/B000E3C3OE


There's 2 different heights. I have some of both. They also make one with NO dividers which is handy for bulky stuff.

[Rick Lizek]

Clip 'N' Go Storage Container (17182542) from Amazon.Fits perfectly in the aluminum storage boxes from HF and clip n go are great when working around the house. Just clip it to your belt when working on a ladder. I've tried every other way over 40 years and this is the most practical and versatile. Deerwood fasteners are better and cheaper than mcfeelys...

[Todd Burch]

I made this to store screws. Each upper drawer was made with 2 pair of 1/8" slots on the sides to allow me to partition each drawer into 3rds.

[Steve Griffin]

Those red plastic totes that Mr Feely sells. I keep about 10 of the most common sizes on a shelf an arms reach from the work bench. No opening a cabinet, no opening a bin or pulling out a drawer--I want to grab a screw or the whole tote without any effort at all. Each tote is labeled with a marker in several places. Every once in a while I need to spray the dust out of these, but it's easier than keeping the screws hidden from view.

For house projects or jobsites, I really like the Stanley storage cases. The most important thing with this sort of storage is to be able to pull out each compartment--not just have dividers. Again, I label all sides of each box and the interior to take the guesswork out of grabbing the right size.

[Peter Quinn]

I made this to store screws. Each upper drawer was made with 2 pair of 1/8" slots on the sides to allow me to partition each drawer into 3rds.


That is the most beautiful hardware storage solution I have seen. Nice work!

I use, well, the boxes they came in stored on a couple of shelves. I've always meant to do something better, probably never will. The ones I use the most are in a 5# or 10# box, there are so many assorted boxes of speciality things (copper, stainless, large small, long, very short) I've yet to find a really elegant and visually quick to find system that improves on the cardboard they come in.

[Mark Godlesky]

This from Harbor Freight. (item#93928) You can get them for about $6 on sale and with a 20% off coupon. And you can take the whole thing or an individual bin to your work. They also sell a version with larger bins.
233480
For screws I have a lot of I use 2 lb plastic jars from peanut butter, cashews, etc. They are clear so you can see what's in the jar, and have a wide mouth so it's easy to reach inside. I always clip the label from the original box and tape it to the new container.

[Myk Rian]

I made a drawer storage unit and keep most screws in the boxes they came in. The drawers are sized for the boxes in a 3x3 arrangement.
Most of the odd ball screws go into pill bottles, and then the drawers.

[Todd Burch]

That is the most beautiful hardware storage solution I have seen. Nice work! ...

Thanks Peter! One of these days, I'll actually finish it! Next one I make will be HUGE. Maybe a whole wall of my shop.

[Larry Frank]

For the most screws, I use the RX bottles that a 3 month supply of pills come in. They are about 1-1/2 diameter and 3 inches tall. I put a label on the top and store them in a drawer. For larger sizes of screws and larger quantity, I use freezer containers.

I have a small label machine that I use to mark the containers.

[glenn bradley]

Similar to Steve And Mark. I don't stock hardware by the drawer full but do keep several hundred of those commonly used on hand. The greater challenge is the many varieties of small amounts of items; small brass screws, drawer bumpers, picture frame turns, fine hinges and their screws and so forth. I ended up using these for everything from a few hundred pocket holes screws to a pair of antique bronze hinges to my router bit overflow. Quick and dirty but functional.

233505

The Plano bins are from Lowe's for a few bucks each. Have adjustable compartment size to handle all sorts of shapes and quantities. The racks were made out of whatever sheet scraps I had around.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I got annoyed by this problem a month ago. I have always stored my screws in the drawers of the cabinet under the top of my work bench.

So - I bought a case of 100 cardboard jewelery boxes, roughly 1 x 2 x 3. Tossed the fuzzy stuff inside. Sharpie to note on the box tops the size and thread, and a graphic of the style [some are phillips, some square drive] and material - zinc plated v. brass v. SS. A small square of colored masking tape to indicate that there are more in the overflow storage area.

Surprised that I needed 68 of them.

Set up the 2 drawers with 1/2 x 1/2 runners so the screw boxes are propped up at an angle.

Can see them all when I open a drawer. Can grab a box, remove the lid and put it under the box, and go to town.

Wish I had done this years ago.

Bottom line - I don't need a huge storage bin for any given screw size. I need a smallish, accessible, container, with overflow storage somewhere else. They are all in one consistent size box, and aligned in a storage drawer.

[joe milana]

I use these. You can fit 5 of the three inch ones in a five gallon bucket. I've got several buckets full. Screws, electrical, plumbing fittings, etc.
233506

[daniel lane]

I've got a rolling toolbox that holds all my non-woodworking stuff and there was an extra drawer available, so I use it for fastener storage. For the most part, I use these from Harbor Freight:

233507
They are <$5 each and a McFeely's box will empty nicely into each of the 4 bins. :) I typically have ~4 lengths of various screws, so they are perfect for just grabbing the #6 or #8 screws and selecting the appropriate size at the job.

All of that said, they aren't my favorite solution, but they work for now.


daniel

[Rich Engelhardt]

About every three months or so, Menards runs little stackable plastic storage bins on sale for $.50 ea. and offers a $.50 rebate on them with a limit of 10.
Cheap is good - free is better.

[ian maybury]

I have some plastic storage cases, but am not keen as access can be a bit fiddly, and most plastic boxes seem (presumably due to UV sensitivity) to end up becoming brittle in a year or two.

I use these slightly old fashioned Clarke all metal storage drawers which work well. Cheap, strong, easily removed to work from, mix of compartments big enough to handle longer screws etc but also some divided for small stuff. Units can be wall hung or parked on a shelf as required. Easy to add a few more as the usual proliferation takes place. I label the drawers with a permanent marker which can be wiped off if needed with paint thinners - drop in cards are too fiddly and don't last.

This is a UK source, but chances are the same units are available in the US: http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ctb1000-36-drawer-parts-cabinets

The only issue i've found is that once when moving one once the drawers slid out under the weight of the contents as a result of my accidentally tipping it forward - not normal usage.

ian